He sent them on another occasion, a short letter, which ran as follows: "MOST HONORABLE, MOST STEADFAST,--As, during the present frost, you have but little exercise in the trenches--as you cannot pass your time in twirling your finger-rings, seeing that they have all been sold to pay your soldiers' wages--as you have nothing to rub your teeth upon, nor to scour your stomachs withal, and as, nevertheless, you require something if only to occupy your minds, I send you the enclosed letter, in hope it may yield amusement .-- January 15, 1581." The enclosure was a letter from the Prince of Orange to the Duke of Anjou, which, as it was pretended, had been intercepted.

It was a clumsy forgery, but it answered the purpose of more skilful counterfeiting, at a period when political and religious enmity obscured men's judgment.

"As to the point of religion," the Prince was made to observe, for example, to his illustrious correspondent, "that is all plain and clear.

No sovereign who hopes to come to any great advancement ought to consider religion, or hold it in regard.

Your Highness, by means of the garrisons, and fortresses, will be easily master of the principal cities in Flanders and Brabant, even if the citizens were opposed to you.